Wildfires kill 12 in Algeria as severe heatwave sweeps North Africa

Twelve people were killed in wildfires that swept through several Algerian provinces, Interior Minister Said Sayoud said late on Wednesday, amid a severe heatwave gripping North Africa.

The fatalities included five people in Jijel province, four in Bejaia and three in Tizi Ouzou.

Sayoud and Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Ait Messaoudene travelled to Bejaia to assess firefighting operations and the condition of those hurt, the official news agency APS said.

Sayoud stated that 54 people had suffered burn injuries, including six in critical condition who are currently in intensive care.

Algeria's civil protection services recorded 154 wildfires across the country on Wednesday. Thirty-six fires were reported in Bejaia province alone, of which 18 had been brought under control.

Numerous families were evacuated in several provinces, including Bejaia and Jijel, as flames approached populated areas, various sources said.

Images broadcast by regional news website Jijel News showed residents seeking refuge in a post office amid thick smoke.

Algeria has grappled with wildfires over the summer, with at least six people killed in several provinces last month, according to the authorities.

Every summer, northern Algeria is hit by forest fires, disasters exacerbated by drought and climate change.

Dozens of people have been killed in recent years, and thousands of hectares of forest and farmland destroyed, along with numerous homes.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP and Reuters)